OM, I've become a Zuikoholic!

[Gregoyle]

kttomi, now I can't wait to try the Arista Premium I just shot at 1600 and developed in Rodinal. Beautiful picture.

Trius, sisser, I love the pictures you guys posted from slide film, but the cost to me seems outrageous. I would be looking at a minimum of $5-10 a roll plus an additional $10 just to get it processed! At least with C-41 I can still get it processed at Sam's for around $0.97 a roll. Until that Sam's Club takes out their wet lab, that is.

Do you guys process your own E-6? Around how much does the chemistry cost per roll? Would I be wasting my time using one of the 3 step home kits?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[sisser]

kttomi, now I can't wait to try the Arista Premium I just shot at 1600 and developed in Rodinal. Beautiful picture.

Trius, sisser, I love the pictures you guys posted from slide film, but the cost to me seems outrageous. I would be looking at a minimum of $5-10 a roll plus an additional $10 just to get it processed! At least with C-41 I can still get it processed at Sam's for around $0.97 a roll. Until that Sam's Club takes out their wet lab, that is.

Do you guys process your own E-6? Around how much does the chemistry cost per roll? Would I be wasting my time using one of the 3 step home kits?

Thanks,

Greg

Thank you Gregoyle but it's not slide film but an expired nameless color neg. film. Scanned the print with a simple flatbed scanner. I don't process and/or print myself but have it done at some kind of Wallmart.

 

[Mystyler]

E-6 prices are insane here. $40 for a roll of (my favourite) Provia 400X and develop only an additional $15. Financially sensible hobby? No. But getting slides back and just being wowed by the colours is one thing you shouldn't miss out on in this life. 😉

 

[Trius]

The chromes I posted are quite old shots. I don't shoot much chrome right now. I have a small stash in the refrigerator, but I save chrome film for special situations. Naturally I can't get Kodachrome processed any more, so I've considered processing it as b&w. It doesn't seem so straightforward to do that, which means I won't get around to it for awhile.

 

[Noll]

Trying hard to not sound smug or anything but..... after finally checking out the supposedly amazing EVF of the Sony nex 6 and 7, i was sorely let down. The OM1's big, beautiful viewfinder still blows them away for size and clarity. Sometimes I don't know why I shoot anything else.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Until yesterday I would not have anticipated posting in this thread due to several other SLR systems I already have but fate intervened. Visiting a local market, at a stall not known for purveying interesting cameras, I encountered an Olympus FTL SLR, with its Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 lens. It even had a good battery fitted to power its perfectly working light meter, and all speeds look/sound good. Nice cosmetics, too, although a little of the black paint from the model and makers name has worn off, (probably not that hard to fix). On enquiring the price, the stallholder asked me to make an offer. I did. She accepted. It came home with me.

There was also a Pentax S3, without lens, in original case. Without wanting to wander too far off topic, should I go back and get that, as well?
Regards
Brett

 

[wblynch]

One day I will get an FTL. I always liked them. You don't find them often.

 

[FTography]

I, too, would like an FTL, just to complement my Olympus collection.
The only copy I found some while back was pretty beaten up, and - although battery-less - probably dead.
Some day, some day.

Make sure to show us some pictures! 🙂

 

[Mystyler]

There is one on eBay Australia for $129AUD at the moment, I think.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I, too, would like an FTL, just to complement my Olympus collection.
The only copy I found some while back was pretty beaten up, and - although battery-less - probably dead.
Some day, some day.

Make sure to show us some pictures! 🙂

I was just going to flip it over. But given I've read so many good things about Zuiko lenses and the only other example of one I have is that attached to my (owned from new since I was a teenager) Trip 35, it's quite likely it won't go far. And the lens will fit my other M42 SLRs as well. At the least it will be getting a film through it in my hands so I will certainly put some pics up in due course.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Jack Conrad]

I just read that those FTL m42 lenses were thought to have been manufactured
to Olympus' specs by someone other than Olympus. Mamiya maybe?

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I just read that those FTL m42 lenses were thought to have been manufactured
to Olympus' specs by someone other than Olympus. Mamiya maybe?

I profess to know very little about Olympus products in general or the FTL in particular. Apart from an original model Pen waiting for me to CLA it, the aforementioned Trip 35, and now the FTL, I have never owned any of their other cameras.

However the information on this web page suggests that, although it was at the time expedient for Olympus to buy in the design of their first full 35mm format SLR, the camera and the lenses were actually manufactured in house.

In any case, Ivor Matanle rates the lenses highly in his title "Collecting and Using Classic SLRs". In a comparison test of a pocket watch photographed with various lenses, including a 50mm Tessar and 55mm Super Takumar f/1.8, he found that his image of it made with an Olympus FTL and 50mm f/1.8 Zuiko was the sharpest. He also praises the FTL M42 mount 135mm f/3.5 Zuiko as being especially sharp. (I shouldn't mention that, lest I yet develop a desire to acquire one!).

Having a typical case of GAS that afflicts many RFF members, the relative rarity of the FTL means I'm unlikely to part with it without trying it first (which, frankly, means it probably won't be going anywhere!).
Regards,
Brett

 

[shadowfox]

I just read that those FTL m42 lenses were thought to have been manufactured
to Olympus' specs by someone other than Olympus. Mamiya maybe?

Now that would be funny if Mamiya is the one.
I have a Mamiyaflex TLR with a Zuiko lens on it. 😀

 

[Leeston]

Winders, Grips

Winders, Grips

Hi

Long time lurker and short time poster.

Background...I have two OM-2's, one OM-2N, Lens are 300 4.5,200 4, 135 3.5, 50 1.4, 50 1.8, 50 3.5, 35 2, 35 2.8, 24 2.8.

Whilst recovering from a triple bypass (all good now..thanks) I have had the time etc to read pretty much all of the posts in this thread, I have found very, very little mention of winders, personally I have a winder 2 attached to all three of my camera's, I have always felt and appreciated the extra heft they supply, plus the added grip value, interesting that the new OM-D EM-5 has a very similar grip as a add on, they have certainly maintained heritage.

Maybe it is because I have come from a Nikon f5 and F100 (with grip) before I saw the the OM light, thus I have gotten used to the weight etc.

So I guess my post is this, does anybody else use the winder 2 etc or do you take on board the the slim weight etc philosophy of original Olympus concept.

I really do feel that I appreciate the extra weight etc when using 200 & 300 lens, is that a valid feeling...I always use my camera's with the winders irregardless of the lens used.

Anyway , all things said this is a great thread and I am glad I have finally contributed in some small way.

By the way Keith, you are a Aussie legend and fly the flag high....love your shots and your rural aspect.

Cheers from Oz

Lee

 

[wblynch]

I have 2 Winder-2's that came my way. I have tried them out but not felt compelled to actually use them. They seem to double the weight of an OM and make things a lot larger.

I once went down to photograph an historic steam train passing by and the winder would have definitely been useful for that event.

By happenstance I got an original Olympus leather cover to fit an OM with the winder. It came in a box of stuff. I didn't know what it was for at first but after receiving my first winder it dawned on me.

 

[sreed2006]

I sometimes use a Winder 2. It never has been comfortable when I use the camera handheld. There's a little chrome piece of metal (for a strap?) that sticks out at the bottom right, and it pokes my palm, and irritates the heck out of me. The Winder 2 does come in very handy when the camera is mounted on a tripod, though, and that is what I use it for the most now.

 

[Joe Vitessa]

The Winder 2 is permanently attached to my OM-2n. Really like how the camera balances with it mounted. Plus, it's fast enough to shoot my kids!

 

[Marihino]

I made it through this whole thread!

I have been lusting after an OM-2n ever since I saw one in a magazine as a kid who was just starting to take pictures with an old Zorki in eastern Europe. About seven years ago I got myself one! It came with a 50mm/1.8, then I added 50mm/1.4, 35mm/2 and 85mm/2 (all silvernose, bought "as seen" from an internet shop for prices which nobody would believe here now, turned out to be perfectly good except for the 35mm which had a lot of tiny cleaning scratches on the front element, adding certain glow to that otherwise nice lens). I also had some accessories, like Winder 2, teleconverter 2x, some flash heads etc.

Then a couple years later in a dark moment of my mental powers I sold the lot. Only managed a year or two without it, so I started buying again - first came a black OM-1n with a silvernose 50mm/1.4, and it still is my favourite rig. Then I cheaply won an auction on a silver OM-2n with a MC 50mm/1.8, and few days later another silver OM-2n. Nobody else was bidding, the description said that the camera seems to be broken (of course it turned out to have a dead battery) and comes with "a lens". The "a lens" I recognized on the tiny picture to be an MC 50mm/1.4, and that made me place the bid. It was that, not a >1.1M (a >1M though, even if it doesn't change anything), looking almost new, but with not-working DOF preview button. I also got a mint 135mm/3.5 (£13) and, also mint (maybe not anymore, as I use it a lot), 28mm/2.8 (£40).
I think I found a bargain 35mm/2 again, this time the very latest version which actually says "MC" on the rim. I've seen it in a little shop few days ago, and will be back there next week to grab it (I don't think a lot of potential Zuiko lovers would find it in a place like that). Seems to be mint, £100.
I also always look out for another 85mm/2, these are sooo expensive now though. I definitely paid less than a hundred squids for it the last time, stupid me to have it sold!
Current bunch then:
OM-1n black (used without batteries)
2x OM-2n silver
50mm/1.8 MC
50mm/1.4 SC silvernose
50mm/1.4 MC (I guess I should A/B/C test these three, trying to come up with ideas for test shoots)
28mm/2.8
135mm/3.5

This thread actually, as someone joked several pages ago, is one of the best OM-lore sources on the net.

 

[Ade-oh]

I used to use the Winder 2 which I think is a useful accessory and can improve the grip on OM's if you have big hands, but I prefer the Motordrives with the Control Pack screwed on. These are much more solid and the Motordrive 2 is, in my opinion, the best add-on drive I've ever used: smaller and much less noisy than my Nikon MD-4.

BTW, if anyone wants a Winder 2, I still have one left: yours for the cost of postage and a box from London. PM me if interested.

 

[TXForester]

OM2s 50/1.8 expired Fuji 200

Same lens on Canon 10D